Self-adjusting bearing



Oct. 21 1924.

R. R. BELL.

SELF ADJUSTING BEARING Filed Deo. 5. 1921 [j P: y? www Patented vGet. 21, 15924.

ROLLO BELL, OF HOLLYWOOD, IALIFOIEMI'IA.

1,512,328 FFICE.

sELr-AnJUsTING BEARNG.'

Application sied'necember 3, 1921. serial No. 519,709.

To all whom' t may concern:

Beit known that I, ROLLO R. BELL, a citi- Zen-of the United" States, residing at Holly'- wood, inn the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new andA in SelfeAdjustmg self-adjusting bearings particularly adapted for use in internal combustion engines for motor vehicles whereby'the necessity of frequently tightening the bearings: andthe dis'- advafnta-ges attendant thereto are eliminated.

I will describe two forms of bearings and one form of connecting rod each embodying my invention, and'v wil-l then point out the novel features thereof'in claims.l

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is al view showing in side eleva tion and partly in section one form of connecting rod and two forms of bearings all embodying l myl invention.

Fig- A 2 is a-sectional View taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the connecting-rod shown in the preceding views.

Figil is an enlarged fragmentary perspec- Vtive view of the yoke comprised in one of the bearings shown in the preceding views.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing in slightly modified form one of the bearings sho-wn in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. G'is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a modified form o-f yoke. t .Similar 'reference charactersrefer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention, in its present embodiment, coinprises a connecting rod designated generally at K and including a shank portion 15 which is shown in Fig. 3 formed from a channel iron with the web portion thereof split and outstruck at intervals to provide sleeves 16 in which a 4rod R is adapted to slide. The lower end of the connecting rod is provided with a bearing block B formed centrally thereof, or in longitudinal alinement with the shank 15, with a sleeve 17 which communicates with circumferentiallyf extendinggrooves18.` Assho'wn Fig. 2 the' grooves' 18 are arranged at opposite points withrespect'tov the lower end vofy sleeve 17 ,and in these grooves the curved arms 19 of'a yokeY are adapted to repose. The yoke Y also includes a hollow head 'por-y tion 20 which extends `A into the lSlee-ve 1,7"af'd` slidably receives the lower endl of the rodV R, theV upper end ofr the sleeve: and head being formed I with suitable openings for the" reception of the rod. Surrounding the-'rod at aV poin-t within the head 2O is a coil expansible. spring 21 which isconi'ined the rodv by means ofy a washer 22 secured' against' displacement' from the rodI by ai key 23.

Asi sliownin Fig. 2,-V the bearing block is provided with thewusualf cap securedt thereto byv mea-neef bolts 24. which also 'exa tend through theY enlarged extremities/192" of the larms` 19. The bolts areprdvided with Y enlarged heads; 24 los'ely'ifitted J'within the bearing block'B,`pso that the'fyolfe,L4

and cap as a unit are free lto move upwardly with. respect to thel block, it being' understood that the grooves`18al'low foi-this up?,-

ward lmovement. This bearing is adapted to receive the' crank shaft SA offan internal conibu'stioi'r engine, and brasses 25 embrace the shaft within the bearing'fin lthe' usual manner: Y 1 l rl`h-e upper end oiffthe; connecting rodrK' is formed' with a' sleeve 26 lin' which arefitted brasses 27. As'shown Fig. the upper por-tion of the sleeve- 26 is recessed as 'inf dicated at 26%, and' the upperV brassisV re'- cessed at acorrespondi'ng point.. 'lfhe'upper'l Y end of the rod R extends intof the 'sleeve' 26 and is there provided with a circiilarfhead 28 which is disposed within the recess portions ofthe sleeve4 and brass andin.'einbrac-` ing position to' the brass'es.` As will'lb understood, the sleeve 26 receives the wrist pin 29 of a piston, and the circular head 2S allows of the application of the brasses to the pin.

In practice, with the connecting ro-d associated with the wrist pin and crank shaft, it will be clear that the spring 21 exerts a downward pull upon the rod R and an upward pull on the yoke Y. By virtue of this action, a constant downward press-ure is exerted on the Ibrass 27, andv an upward pressure exerted on the cap C, so that in both instances the bearings as a unit are oonstantly tending to tighten themselves about the members S and 29 to take up any wear ot the bearings so that they will at all times remain tight.

In Fig. 5, I have shown the rod R formed of a relatively short section 3l, the upper end of which is lthreadedly fitted in the conneet-ing rod K as indicated at 32. This section of rod 3l is surrounded by the spring 2l and extends into the head 20 so as to operate in a manner identical to the rod in the first form' of my invention. The purpose of this construction is to allow the adjustment of only the lower or crank shaft bearing, as in some instances it may not be desirable to have a self-adjusting wrist pin bearing. v

The crank shaft bearing shown in Figs. l and 2 is of the two-bolt type, and consequently a yoke of the type shown in F ig. 4t is employed. However, when applying my invention to: a bearing of the four-bolt type, the yoke, such as that shown in Fig. 6, is employed. This yoke is substantially of the same construction as the yoke shown in Fig.V 4, with the exception that the arms 19 are provided with angularly arranged extensions 33 through which the bolts of the bearing lare adapted #to extend.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of bearings and one form of connecting rod each embodying my invention, it is tobe understood that various changes and modications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims,

What I claim is:

l. In combination, a connecting rod including a bearing block formed at one end and a bearing sleeve at the other end, said bearing block being formed centrally with a sleeve and grooves in the face of the block extending from said sleeve, a cap movably supported on the bearing block, a yoke within the bearing block Iand including arms disposed in said grooves and a head disposed in said sleeve, a rod slidably tted in the connecting rod and extending into said head, an annular head formed on one end of the rod and extending into said bearing sleeve, a brass embraced by said annular head, an expansible spring in the first head and Misses surrounding said rod, and means for conmng the spring on the rod, all for the purpose described.

and secured to said cap, and a spring associated with said head for urging the yoke and consequently fthe cap toward said block.

In combination, a connecting rod having the shank thereof outstruck at intervals to provide sleeves, a rod slidably fitted in the sleeves, a bearing block formed in one end of the connecting' rod and slidably receiving one end ot' fthe second rod, a cap movably sustained on the bearing block, a yoke movable within the bearing block and rigidly connected to said cap, an annular head formed on the other end of the second rod, a sleeve bearing formed on the other end of the connecting rod and constructed to movably receive said annular head, a brass movably mounted on the bearing sleeve and embraced by said annular head, and a spring mounted in the yoke and associated wilth said rod in such manner that the yoke and consequently the cap are constantly urged toward the bearing block and the annular head and consequently the brass urged inwardly of said bearing sleeve. i

4L. A self-adjusting bearing comprising a bearing block, a yoke movable in the block, a cap, bolts for movably sustaining the yoke and cap on the block, shoulders formed on the bolts for causing the cap and yoke to move together on movement of the bolts, and a spring engaging the yoke for constantly urging the latter and consequently the cap toward the block.

5., A self-adjusting bearing, comprising a bearing block, a yoke movable on the block, a cap, bolts for movably sustaining the yoke and ycap on the block, and a compression spring engaging the yoke for constantly urging the latter and consequently the cap toward the block.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specitication.

ROLLO R. BELL. 

